Tura kids impress German basketball partners

Last month, four junior basketball players from the Basketball Artists School in Katutura were invited to the Cybex Summer Training Camp in Germany by the Brose Baskets, a German professional basketball club that is based in Bamberg.The young basketball players comprised 13-year old Lino Nina Simao, Eino Absalom, Michael Shikemeni and 14-year old Victoria Shilongo. The four earned their journey through hard work and commitment joining about 200 other participants in Camp.During their stay in Germany, the four youngsters did not only function as ambassadors for Namibian basketball, but had several cultural meetings including social meetings with their German godparents and sponsors. The children were accompanied by Basketball Artists School Coordinator Ramah Mumba and German basketball expert Frank Albin. During international games of the male German National Team, the young players had the privilege of meeting some of the German National players. They also met high-ranking dignitaries such as Ingo Weiss, the President of the German Basketball Federation in Muenster and Dr. Michael Vesper, the Director General of the German Olympic Sports Confederation in Frankfurt.According to the Basketball Artists School motto “Education First – Basketball Second” the children did their school work in between.The German partners were very impressed with the enthusiasm and basketball skills of the Namibian players and said after the tour, they would like to intensify the exchange programme during the next years.The Basketball Artists School is a collaboration of the German non-profit organisation, ISIBINDI and the Namibian Basketball Federation (NBF), supported by DBB, DOSB and the German Federal Foreign Office.The trip was financed by Air Namibia, Brose Baskets, the German Embassy, Trip Travel and several private donors from Germany.